Tractor-truck and trailer brake equipment



Sept. 26, 1950 s. w. RUSSELL TRACTOR-TRUCK AND TRAILER BRAKE EQUIPMENT Fild Dec. 5, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 26, 1950 s. w. RUSSELL 2,523,846

TRACTOR-TRUCK AND TRAILER BRAKE EQUIPMENT Filed Dec. 3, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Sam W. Russell By Ema/5:.

p 1950 s. w. RUSSELL 2,523,846

TRACTORTRUCK AND TRAILER BRAKE EQUIPMENT Filed Dec. 3, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sam M Russell y WWW Patented Sept; 26, 1950 OFFICE TRACTOR-TRUCK AND "TRAILER BRAKE EQUIPMENT SamW. Russell, Knoxville, Tenn.

Application December s, 1946, Serial No. 713. 173

3 Claims. (01. 1, ss-s) thereby cause application of the trailer brakes in case of the driver of the truck should'lean or fall forward or sidewise, While driving, due to falling asleep or becoming unconscious.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a safety auxiliary application valve in the emergenc line of tractor-truck and trailer brake equipment, whereby the trailer brakes will be released when the driver of the truck leans against the back of the drivers seat in proper position for driving, and whereby the trailer brakes will be applied if the driver of the truck should lean or fall forward or sidewise, while driving, due to falling asleep .or becoming unconscious. Thus, by using the present application valve, the safety of the vehicle and its occupants is promoted, and the occurrence of serious accidents from a well known cause is prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide .a safety application valve of the above kind which may be readily installed in existing brake equipment, which is highly efiicient in operation, and which is comparatively simplein construction. v The exact nature of the present invention, as well as more specific objects and features thereof, will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection withthe drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of tractor-truck and trailer brake equipment embodying my safety application valve; 7 Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of another type of tractor-truck and trailer brake equipment embodying the present safety applitaken on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

In Figure 1 there is disclosed compressed-air tractor-truck and trailer brake equipment comprising a truck or main reservoir charged by a compressor l2. A- foot operated application valve 1,4 on the truck controls the brake pressure ,2 to the front and rear truck brake actuators l5 and 16 respectively, and also controls, throu h a service line H, the Operation of an emergency relay valve 18, the latter controllin the operation of the trailer .brakeactuators I9 and 20. The va1ve-l8 is conventional and of the type shown at 32 in the U. S. p tent to W. A. Eaton, 2. .34 December 17, 1935 and at 25 in the U. ,S. patent t D. H. Robinson, 2. 4 .43 ul 8, f l- The air pressure for the trailer brake actuators is supplied by a trailer reservoirZl connected to the emergency relay valve 18. The main or truck reservoir vJD has an outlet line 22 that connects with the service line H and has the application valve. 14 interposed therein. The main or truck reservoir I0 also has a second outlet line 23 that is connected with the emergency relay valve [8 by an emergency line 24, and that has a branch 25 connected with therear truck actuators I-6 and having a quick release valve 25 interposed he e n- My safety auxiliary application valve, indicated at 21, is interposed in the emergency line 24 and is arranged on the tractor-truck near the drivers seat 28, of the latter. It will be noted that a line 29 also connects the service line I! with the quick release valve 25, as usual.

My auxiliary application valve 21- is preferably of the construction more clearly shown in Figures 3 to 5 inclusive. As shown inthe latter figures, said valve 21 includes a suitablecasing 29 divided by a partition 30 into chambers 31 and 3.2. The partition 30 has a central opening 33 affording communication between the chambers 3| and 32, and a valve seat 34 is formed in the upper side of the partition .30 in surrounding relationto the opening 33 A valve head 35 is arranged to seat downwardly ,on the seat 34, and this valve is provided on the intermediate portion of a vertical tubular stem .36 that extends through the opening 33 of partitiQn 3.0. The margin of a diaphragm 31 is clamped between an internal shoulder of the casing 29 and a removable cover 38 of said casing, said diaphrag dividing the easing into a further smalltopchamber 39. The diaphragm 31 has .acentral opening which receives the upper end .of .thestem 36, and the inner marg n .of diaphragm}! is wclampedbetween, clamping nuts 40 and A] threaded on the upper end of stem .36. hus, the stem 36 provides for communication between lower chamber .31 and the top cham r 39, and the opening 33 provides for communication between the lower chamber 3] and the intermediate chamber .32. The cover 38 has a vent 42 which places the top chamber 3.9 in .communicae tion with the atmosphere. Casing 29 has a port 43 at each of opposite sides which open into the chamber 32, and a port 44 at each of opposite sides which open into the chamber 3|. In use, the ports 43 and 44 at either side are used to install the valve in the emergency line 24, the other two ports 43 and 44 being closed by plugs 45. A valve head 46 is arranged to seat upwardly against the lower end of the stem 36 within the lower chamber 3|, and this valve head 46 is carried by the lower end of a vertical stem 41 which freely extends through the stem 36 and through the cover 38, and which is of considerably less diameter than the bore of stem 36. The valve head 46 has a central depending guide stem 46 slidably received in a tubular guide 49 provided on the bottom of the casing 29. The valve head 35 is normally yieldingly seated by a spring 5|], and the valve head 46 is normally unseated by a spring 5|, so that communication between the chambers 3| and 32 is normally closed by the valve head 35 and the valve head 46 is normally unseated to establish communication between the chamber 3| and the chamber 39 through valve stem 36. In practice, the chamber 3| is placed in communication with the side of the emergency line which connects with the emergency relay valve I8, and the chamber 32 is connected with the side of the emergency line 24 which communicates with the truck reservoir I0. It will thus be apparent that when the valve 21 is in its normal condition of Figure 3 the valve head 35 closes communication between the truck reservoir I6 and the relay valve l8, and valve head 46 is unseatedso as to vent the relay valve I8 to the atmosphere through a seat the valve head 46 against the lower end of stem 36 and to unseat the valve head 35 as shown in Figure 4, communication will be established between the relay valve I8 and thetruck reservoir I by way of opening 33, and communication of the relay valve with the atmosphere will be closed by seating of valve head 46 against the lower end 'of valve stem 36, thereby causing release of the trailer brakes. The compressor I2 and reservoir I 0 may be considered as a brake actuating source on the truck.

Pivotedbetween its ends at 52 to the top of the back rest of the drivers seat 28 is a lever 53, one arm of which is relatively long and extends forwardly and then downwardly in front of and adjacent the upper portion of said back rest. The other shorter arm of lever 53 is connected by a link 54 with the upper end of Valve stem 41. The arrangement is such that when the driver occupying the seat 28 leans backwardly against the back rest of seat 28 and assumes a proper position for driving, the lon arm of lever 53 will be pressed rearwardly so as to cause the link 54 to be pulled upwardly and thereby unseat valve head 35 and simultaneously seat valve head 46. In doing this, the spring is compressed until the valve head 46 engages the lower end of stem 36, whereupon stem 36 is elevated and spring 50 is compressed. As before stated, this establishes communication between the truck reservoir I 0 and relay valve I8 by way of opening 33 as shown in Figure 4, simultaneously closing. communication between chamber 3| and vent 42. This is the normal condition of the brake equipment in which the trailer and truck brakes are released, application of the trailer and truck brakes being normally effected by actuation of the conventional application valve I4. However, should the driver lean forward so as to release lever 53 and permit the valve to assume its normal condition as shown in Figure 3, the relay valve I8 will be vented to the atmosphere by way of chamber 3|, stem 36, chamber 39 and vent 42, and communication will be simultaneously closed between relay valve I8 and the truck reservoir II]. This relieves the diaphragm of the relay valve from air pressure so as to cause air to be supplied to the trailer brake actuators and thereby applying the trailer brakes in a manner generally well known in the art with respect to the occurrence of an ordinary break in the emergency line of the equipment.

If desired, means may be provided to indicate that the safety application valve is in use and operative. For this purpose, the circuit of an indicator lamp 55 may be controlled by a nor,

mally open push button switch 56 arranged to be actuated to circuit closing position by the lever 53 when the longer arm of said lever is pressed rearwardly by the operator in assuming a proper driving position. Also, suitable means may be provided to releasably hold the lever 53 with its longer arm in rearwardly pressed position and the trailer brakes released, so that the driver may lean forwardly and laterally away from the longer arm of lever 53 as is necessary in order to obtain a view through the adjacent side window of the drivers cab when backing the vehicle. This is an obvious expedient which is mentioned for its interest to those making use of the invention and is not shown or specifically described because it is of no patentable moment, per se.

In Figure 2, the present safety application valve is shown as installed in brake equipment embodying hydraulic brakes on the tractor truck actuated by a vacuum booster and vacuum brakes on the trailer. The front and rear brake actuators of the truck are indicated at E5 and I6, respectively, and the front and rear brake actuators of the trailer are indicated at I9 and 26 respectively. A master pressure cylinder 51 is .connected by a branched line 58 with the actuators I5 and I6, and it includes a plunger actuated by 50 vacuum booster 59 having its suction line 60 connected with the foot operated application valve I4 which controls communication of the booster with a suction line 6| connected to the intake manifold 62 of the tractor-truck engine The brake equipment also includes a service line I I connecting the emergency relay valve Eli with the application valve I4, and an emergency line 24 connecting the emergency relay valve I8 with the suction line 6|. As usual, the emergency vacuum tank 64 and check valve 65 are interposed in the emergency line 34 near the relay valve I8. Actuation of the application valve I4 permits production of suction in the service line H and in the suction line 6|! to effect application of the truck and trailer brakes, release of the application valve I4 effecting release of said brakes in the well known manner. In installing the present safety application valve in equipment of this kind, it is simply interposed,

in the emergency line 24' as shown and the lever 53 is arranged exactly the same as describedin connection with the equipment of Figure 1. The arrangement is such that when the valve 21 is in the normal condition of Figure 3 air is admitted from the atmosphere through vent 42, chamber 39, stem 36, and chamber 3| to that portion of the emergency line 24 leading to the emergency relay valve lB. pThe suction maintained in the trailer vacuum tank Mcauses'application of the trailer brakes at thistime, the check'valve 65 being closed. However, when the lever 53 is actuated by leaning of the driver against the same, the valve 21 assumes the condition of Figure 4 in which the communication of the emergency line 24' with the atmosphere is closed and communication of said emergency line' 24' with the su=ction line 6| is opened. This causes actuation of emergency relay valve l8 so that the brake actuators of the trailer are relieved of suction and so thatthe trailer brakes are thereby released. It will thus be apparentthat should the driver lean or. fall forward, while driving, due to falling asleep or becoming unconscious for any reason, the

safety application valve 2'! will automatically assume its normal condition as shown in Figure 3,

3 thereby automatically causing application of the trailer brakes and bringing the truck and trailer to a stop so as to prevent the occurrence of an accident.

. place in connection with bothtypes of installa- Substantially the same operation takes ti0ns,'the difference being that in the installation of Figure 1 the emergency line is vented to the atmosphere so as to relieve the emergency line of pressure, whereas said emergency line is placed in communication with the atmosphere in the installation ofFigure 2 to admit'atmospheric air into the emergencyline and thereby relieve the latter of suction; Otherwise, the elements of both installations are alike, and remaining elements 1 in both i'nstallationsare indicated by similar ref erence characters.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes are contemplated, such as fairly fall within the' scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with tractor-truck and trailer brake equipment including an emergency relay valve on the trailer, a brake actuating source on the truck, and service and emergency lines connecting said relay valve and said source, and wherein a main application valve is operable by. the driver for causing venting of the relay said source and to simultaneously close communication of the relay valve with the atmosphere,

and means operable by. the driver of the truck in leaning against the back of the drivers seat of the truck for operating said auxiliary application valveto establish communication between the relay valve and said source and to simultaneously close communication of the relay valve with the atmosphere.

2; The combination with tractor-truck and trailer brake equipment including an emergency relay valve on the trailer, a brake actuating source on the truck, and service and emergency 6 lines connecting said relay valve and said source, and wherein a main application valve is operable by the driver for causing venting of the relay I valve to the atmosphere to cause application of the trailer brakes, of an auxiliary application valve interposed in said emergency line and normally venting the relay valve to the atmosphere and simultaneously closing communication between the relay valve and said source, said auxiliary application valve being operable to establish communication between the relay valve and said. source and to simultaneously close communication of the relay valve with the atmosphere, and means operable by the driver of the truck in leaning against the baokof the drivers seat of the truck for operating said auxiliary application valve to establish communication between the relay valve and said source and to simultaneously close communication of the relay valve with the atmosphere, said last named means including an actuating lever for said auxiliary application valve having an arm arranged to be pressed rearwardly by the driver of the truck in leaning back against the back rest of the drivers seat.

3. The combination with tractor-truck and trailer brake equipment including an emergency relay valve on the trailer, a brake actuating source on the truck, and service and emergency lines connecting said relay valve and said source, and wherein a main application valve is operable by the driver for causing venting of the relay valve to the atmosphere to cause application of the trailer brakes, of an auxiliary application v-alve interposed in said emergency line and normally venting the relay valve to the atmosphere and simultaneously closing communication between the relay valve and said source, said auxiliary application valve being operable to establish communication between the relay valve and said source and to simultaneously close communication of the relay valve with the atmosphere, and means operable by the driver of the truck when assuming a proper driving position for operating said auxiliary application valve to establish communication between the relay valve and said source and to simultaneously close communication of the relay valve with the atmosphere, said means being releasable when the driver assumes an improper driving position so as to allow the auxiliary application valve to assume its normal condition and thereby cause application of Q the trailer brakes.

SAM' w; RUSSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,451,139 Wil1iams et al Oct. 12, 1948 

